Do you use only betadine for a mastectomy operation ? I am a Diabetic and my wound would not dry completely.?

It is my 5 th week after my operation and my wound is still watery. I am on antibiotic now.

Betadine can be and is used to clean any kind of wound, as well as before and after a wound is made.

Use betadine pads or swabs, then after cleaning with betadine, use alcohol pads or swabs. The alcohol will further clean, as well as remove the dye from the betadine. Be prepared for some stinging from both. You can also use these swab stick things called Choloprep. I believe they are rx only, but it is 70% alcohol with cholorhexadine. This is a great cleaning agent.

I am, however, allergic to betadine and cholohexadine. On me, they use plain hydrogen peroxide.

I am assuming that they taught you how to properly care for and clean your wound, as well as how to properly dress it?

I am assuming your doc has seen this and knows that it is still not healing? If not, you need to make an apt, they need to see this

ask the doctor. The thing I would be most worried about is staining the wound so that you couldn't assess the color of the wound margins. (which is very important) if you'd not already had problems, I wouldn't thing twice about it, but, you are on antibiotics. The doctor needs to be able to properly evaluate the wound.

Betadine is one the mostly used anti-septics for postoperative care, but not the only one. The wound should be taken care by your doctor, in your situation your surgeon during routine controls. There are some other local solutions, antibiotics or creams that are used but it is better to use them under your doctor`s approval. For example, rifampicin is a very powerful antibiotic and we, the surgeons sometimes use locally although normally it is an oral or iv drug.

However, you should be careful with the wound as you are a diabetic and you should never use anything unless told by your doctor.

Probably, your wound will heal and dry out if you routinely see your doctor and do whatever he/she tells you.

Hope you get better soon.

Ask your doctor about Chloroprep. It doesn't smell, doesn't stain, and it dries quickly.